The Los Angeles Lakers are on a steady rise of improvement from prior years. Kobe Bryant retired from the organization, but Laker fans have a lot to look forward to as the team has a lot of young talent. One of the young players specifically is Lonzo Ball who joins Brandon Ingram, among others.
Lonzo Ball was drafted 2nd overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the draft and has faced extreme criticism for his inconsistent play and low shooting percentages from both the three-point line and overall field goal shooting. Despite all the doubt surrounding him, I believe in him otherwise.
Ball is going to be a special player in the NBA. In my opinion, he just needs time to develop. Watching him play, he has a lot of talent and he will be the face of the LA Lakers organization. Lonzo will be a special player with the attributes I see from him.
Reason for the shooting slump
People have pointed out that his shooting form is the reason why he is shooting so poorly, although I don't believe so. It is outrageous to say that in my view because a lot of people in the league shoot differently. This was a player that shot well from the floor in college.
The reason could just be that Lonzo Ball needs time to develop. He is only 20 years old and he was drafted at only 19 years old. How much can you expect from a 19-20-year-old kid?
Ball went to the league after one year at UCLA and it is evident that he surely needs more time to get a feel for the NBA.
Distractions are another reason for his less-than-stellar season. It is fair to say that Ball has had a rough time focusing because of his brother getting into trouble with the law. His father has also been criticizing the coach and other elements surrounding him, causing a distraction.
Passing ability
Watching Lonzo Ball start a fast break and push the ball up the floor is also something truly special. He is able to pinpoint passes from far away and get his teammates involved even early on in the game. He makes everyone around him better. It is clear to see that he plays basketball the right way and does not take any crazy shots.
He is selfless. These are elements that cannot be taught on the floor that he does so well. People need to stop being so hard on this kid that has incredible talent. His passing is remarkable and uncanny, resembling that of Kevin Love.
Rebounding
What Lonzo Ball has also done well so far this season is in rebounding the ball. He has been able to rebound the ball very well for a rookie guard. Ball has averaged nearly a triple-double this season with nine points, seven assists, and seven rebounds. His overall Points Per Game have gone up since then, though.
A different player
A well-written article on SBNation discusses a different, more confident Lonzo Ball when compared with a couple of weeks ago.
Towards the end of December, he shot significantly better from the field. The article states that "Lonzo is averaging 12.2 points and shooting 46 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three since Dec. 7. That's a far cry from the 8.7 points per game on 31 percent from the field and 25 percent from three."
People have been giving him such a tough time because of his low shooting percentage, but this is a different player now who is getting better. His overall statistics for the season prove that he is not performing poorly for a first-year player. It looks like he has taken the time to improve and that it is now paying dividends. Once his shooting improves, Lonzo Ball will be truly unstoppable, and will be a one-of-a-kind player in the league.
